Sister Kane's Letter week 5 in Slovak

Well hello hello family :)

Miss you all dearly. Can't even begin to explain the deep love I've developed for you all :) 

You have a very special week this week.  The 4th of July is coming!! :) I hope you'll all celebrate for me and have lots of fireworks. I'm sure It's a great treat for John just before he heads off to the mission field. We don't have the holiday here in Slovakia, obviously, :) so i'll just be working hard doin mission work. Good luck with everything :) Have a great time.

This week we had an interesting day on Tuesday. We had exchanges with the Zone leaders, so we went out contacting with Elder Greener and Elder Neumann. Elder Greener is from Burley. Mom! He knew where Melba was haha. We got quite a kick out of that. We didn't have the greatest morning... but then our day turned out to be AMAZING! 
I have to tell you about our "shared" investigator first.

We met her a few weeks ago.

She has been meeting with missionaries, and she is getting baptized this Sunday. BUT, her missionaries are in switzerland, so they teach her via skype. Thus, we get the lovely opportunity to do some follow up teaching and working with her here in person :)  She is SO special and I love her so much. She is going to be such a strong member. We meet with her usually 1-3 times a week and it has been SOOOO wonderful to work with a progressing investigator, since we don't have any ya know. 

Anyway, so we went over to her "byt" (apartment) for a lesson and O MY GOODNESS she was SOOO kind to us. She made us a cake, gave us magnets, gave us chocolates, gave us homemade jam that her mom made from strawberries, raspberries from her mom's garden, and she always treats us to syrupy drinks and other snacks. We then had a great lesson with her and it made our entire day. I am sooo grateful that I am able to have her in my life right now :) Our companionship is kinda funny haha we obsess about what we are going to teach her and what we can plan for her. It's great. We are working with her on Christlike attributes. She, too, is working on Patience along with me :)

I think I have been asked out here more times, 1 month in Slovakia, than in my entire life. haha oh dear. It's quite the interesting experience... "can we meet to talk about the book of mormon?" "sure sure we can talk about the book. lets meet at the discotek or this bar.." ummm sorry, no.

I'll have some funny stories for after the mission... 

Also, I have decided that Alma and I are pretty much the same person. I read Alma's psalm this week and you know how he says "I ought to be content with the things the Lord has allotted me?" "why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?"  then he adds this insight  "the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have."

I am realizing that I have this strong desire to just share the gospel and I get frustrated when I'm not seeing results from my hard efforts. Like Alma, I have to realize that this work is to be done in the Lord's terms, in His way, in His time. I tend to think "why aren't people just accepting the gospel and jumping into the waters of baptism?" doesn't the Lord want the work to explode here? 

then I remember that this gospel is about line upon line, precept upon precept, and that there is a  time and a season for all things. (go check out some Ecclesiastes for that one) I am beginning to understand that God doesn't work in immediate means. He likes processes. He let's good things happen over time, and enjoys stages of growth. I am trying to learn to be more like President Uchtdorf and to love the moment :) To stop and savor the simple pleasures of life. 

I don't think Alma 29 could have possibly touched anyone more than it has touched me this week. I can't wait to meet Alma in the next life. Then I can say, "You know that psalm you wrote? Yeah, we're two of a kind. Thanks for understanding me and showing me that hey, even prophets struggled with patience." 

Phew. I figure if I'm like Alma, then I must have some pretty good qualities going for me :)

We also had a piknik this week with the Branch and a Branch lunch. I finally feel like I am connected to the members here. I don't know how missions can have 6 week transfers. I just barely feel comfortable here. I am so grateful we have 9 week transfers. 

The Slovaks are amazing people. I love them so much. I watched young man after young man give up his chair on the tram for elderly men and women. People here reject you so kindly. I've had so many people just treat me so well here. They have the greatest manners and I love them so much. They are a great example to me of wonderful, faithful people. I want to be just like them :)

I've never really realized how much of a talent it is to love people :) I am grateful God made it easy for me to love others :) I LOVE people here :)

I am so grateful for the talents i've been given. I am seeing that there is much power in gratitude. 

Thank you all for your prayers and your love and support.  We taught 13 lessons this week which is more than we've taught our whole transfer this far! I am excited to see what lies ahead :) 

 LOVES YOU ALL 
Sestra Kane